The Art of Bourbon Returns with Rare Finds and New Experiences

By VOICE-TRIBUNE

For bourbon lovers, collectors, and casual sippers alike, September 18 marks a date worth circling in bold on the calendar. That’s when the Speed Art Museum hosts its annual Art of Bourbon auction, an event that has become nothing short of iconic in the world of whiskey. Now in its eighth year, the auction combines rare bourbon, spirited bidding, and a good cause, raising more than $2 million for the Speed since 2018.

This year’s edition promises to be the best yet. For the first time, guests will find tasting tables set up inside the museum, offering samples and conversations with distillers and owners from some of the most respected names in the industry. From legacy giants like Heaven Hill and Brown-Forman to rising stars such as 15 Stars and Augusta Distilling, the lineup is a bourbon lover’s dream. With Mary Dowling/Rabbit Hole, Buzzard’s Roost, Old Commonwealth, and Diageo brands Blade & Bow and Bulleit also pouring, the event is shaping up to be as much about discovery as it is about competition on the auction block.

And what a competition it will be. The Art of Bourbon auction is renowned for presenting some of the rarest and most elusive bottles on earth, whiskeys that may never appear again on the open market. “These rare whiskeys can make a huge impact on one of our country’s best art museums,” said Fred Minnick, Wall Street Journal-bestselling author and renowned bourbon critic, who will once again emcee the evening. “We have the vintage and rare, and the new and unique. These sorts of in-the-know bourbons don’t come up very often.”

Marc Abrams, Louisville bourbon expert and this year’s event chair, agrees. “It’s not every day you can get your hands on these. You’re buying a piece of history in a bottle,” he said. “And over the years, our auction followers have come to expect these iconic bourbons at this auction. After all, the Speed Art Museum is in bourbon country.”

The live auction itself takes place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. EST, with doors opening at 6 for a cocktail hour. In-person tickets are $350 and include a seated dinner with a bourbon-inspired menu, tastings, and access to the bidding floor. Seating is limited, and given the caliber of the bottles and the crowd it draws, tickets won’t last long. For those who can’t make it to Louisville, the online auction is free to join with advance registration at artofbourbon.org.

Over the years, prominent collectors have supported the event by donating from their own prized stashes, ensuring that each catalog feels like an unveiling of liquid gold. Auctioneer Bill Menish will lead the bidding, bringing energy and expertise to what’s become as much a spectator sport as a serious collector’s pursuit.

This year’s bottle highlights include:

• Evan Williams 23-Year, distilled in 1966 - the very first year the distillery released that 23-Year-Old.

• Van Winkle Family Reserve, 20-Year, 2006 and signed by Louisville’s own Julian Van Winkle III.

• A.H. Hirsh, 16-Year, distilled in 1974 – widely considered THE legendary bourbon.

• Berghoff Bottled in Bond, 100 proof – distilled and bottled by Stitzel-Weller Distillery, this is a private label bottle bottled specifically for Berghoff’s restaurant in Chicago. 

And, not to be outdone, the Speed auction block includes four lots where you can receive your very own barrel: 

• Dareringer from Rabbit Hole Distillery, rested in handmade Sherry casks from Spain’s renowned Casknolia Cooperage 

• Bardstown Bourbon Company, the Origin Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon 

• Green River Whiskey from the nation’s 10th oldest distillery 

• Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey, single barrel, inspired by the whiskey pioneered by an old family recipe over 150 years ago 

Among the many tasting tables that evening: 

• 15 Stars 

• Augusta Distilling 

• Buzzard’s Roost 

• Old Commonwealth 

The Art of Bourbon is a celebration of Kentucky’s native spirit and a reminder of how good whiskey and good art both have the power to bring people together.